The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-05-13

"We know your firm well by repu-
tation, Mr.. Johnson" said Mr.. Levi,
"though we have not had the pleasure
of knowing you personally until to-
day
"Then,' said Mr.. Dorrell, "after due
inquiries-which in your case, Mr..
johnson, are a mere matter of form
we shall be pleased to make you the
required advance on receipt of the
formal bills of lading from our agents
in Alexandria"
Mr.. johnson bowed gracefully and
took his departure.
That night Mr.. johnson had impor-
tant business which detained him in
his private Office until the small hours
of the morning. He was writing not
in his rapid and continuous style, hut
laboriously and haltingly. Had you
stood behind his chair for a second
you would have seen that he was care
fully copying a signature which read
thus: "Abdul Pinero." He spared no
pains with his work, and it was long
after midnight when he leaned back in
his chair and inspected the result of
his labors with. keen scrutiny and criti-
cal approval. The imitation was per-
feet 1t had been troublesome sigma
ture to copy. Abdul had an awkward
knack of spreading the capital p back
ward, entwining it round his Christian
Q) name in style which was rather a
ticklish thing to initiate; but it was not
too ticklish for Edgar Allen Johnson
few things were. Having locked this pre-
cious document, with duplicate--aud
also the genuine bill of ladlng from
which he had copied the signature
carefully into his safe, he tore up and
burned the various spoiled and smear.
ed sheets of letter paper which lay
| about the floor. Then he turned out
the lights, locked the doors and went
down stairs.
As he walked along the almost de.
serted street.-the took out cigar and
lit 1t. And as the match sprung into
a sudden brilliancy it lighted his face,
and showed that the expression on
every feature was as serene and tran
quill as if his nights work had not been
the preparation of dastardly crime.
He did not go direct home, but stroll
ed down by the river and finished two
more cigars. He carelessly threw a
shilling to little crouching, blue tip
ped beggar lad who stood shivering in
the chill May wind on the pavement.
"God bless you, SIR gasped the
astonished waif gratefully.
Two days later he received a note
from Messrs. Levi & Co., requesting
him to Gala request with which he
lost no time in complying. The inter-
view was brief, and conceded all he
wished. The firm was willing to
grant him the advance he required
upon the receipt of the duplicate bill
of lading from Alexandria, which they
now awaited.
Mr.. johnson took his leave and re-
paired to his Office, where he told one
of his clerks, in preoccupied1tone, to
ad dress an envelope to Messrs. Levi &
Go. He subsequently placed in this
envelope the forged bill of lading and
sealed it up. Then he wrote a long,
gossipy letter to friend in Alexan.
dria-an easy-going, ''head-in-tbe-
clouds kind of fellow who would sus
pect nothing-and in postscript ask.
ed him as special favor to post the
enclosed letter for him in Alexandria
on the day when the ship Estrella
cleared Having dispatched this
letter he stroled along to castle street,
| n, 1nr, 60. Il
where he was not in the habit of deal
ing for small iron-bound box to be
made and sent to his rooms with a:
little delay as possible.
Three weeks later Mr.. johnson was
again in Messrs. Levi & Co.'S. office
The bill of lading had been received
and all preliminaries having been salts
, factorily arranged and the necessary
documents as to interest having been
duly signed, Mr.. Levi drew his check.
book toward him and signed check
for 100000.
Sand | trust, Mr.. Johnson" he said
pompously, as he tore off the precou,
slip, 'that though it is our first trans
action, it may not be our last
sour last! y repeated the echo in the
corner.
Mr.. Johnson bowed with grace, bu
as he took the paper from Mr.. Lewis
} hand, that gentleman might have
noticed that Johnsons hands shook.
The Estrella was signalled in due
course and Messrs. Levi & Co. dis
/ patched clerk to the dock for tn,
ships papers.
The captain was on deck as the
cleik-who, by the way, was named
Davis-crossed the gangway..
"Good morning, Captain Marsh," he
said, pleasantly,
"Good morning" returned the cap
tain gruffiy.
"IIad fine passage ?" pursued
Davis.
"Middling. Roughish in the bay
"Rather a heavy cargo this time,
haven't you?'
"No, lighter than usual" was the re,
ply;
"But,' said Davis, with an air OF
surprise, "you've got 1000 bales OF
cotton on board from Pinero & Co."
Haven't bale of cotton on board,
returned the other, briefly.
"What I" said the astonished clerk.
"Are you sure?"
"Sure2 OF course I'm sure" answer.
ed the captain, in surly tones. "Who
should know if dont?'
well | may just go back again,
said Davis.
"You'd better" observed Captain
Marsh, grimly; you'll not find what
you're looking for here.
Davis made his way back to his em,
ployer's Office and with considerable
trepidation informed them of the non
arrival of the expected cargo. Dorrell
turned pale and Levi became perfectly
green.
"rhere must be some mistake" said
the former, hurriedly,
II don't know, Pm sure, SIR STAN
mered the clerk.
"Don't you know, you IDIOT" roared
Mr. Levi. "Who expected you to
| knOw2 Ieaya the roomi"